North by Northanger

Six

Dr. Richard Severn was a petite, wiry gentleman with a dark complexion and the eyes and nose of a hawk. He wore his black hair short, his sideburns long, and his vanity like a suit of armor. He entered the Darcys’ sitting room with an air of command and proceeded to interview the couple instead of the other way round.

Rather, the physician proceeded to interview Darcy. He barely spared Elizabeth a glance, and she soon felt as if she could have left the room without the doctor’s noticing.

“This is your first child?”

“It is.”

“And your wife estimates it will arrive when?”

“Early March.”

“I normally return to London on the first of March. She, however, should complete her travel much earlier. The roads, as you know, can be extremely hazardous in winter, and you would not want a rough carriage ride to cause premature birth. I advise you to install Mrs. Darcy in town well before Christmas.” He withdrew a small notebook and pencil from his bag. “I will note in my calendar when you anticipate requiring my services. You have my direction in London — simply summon me when Mrs. Darcy’s pains commence.”

“My wife prefers our country home in Derbyshire for her confinement. I had hoped you might consider attending her there.”

“Derbyshire? Impossible,” he said, not looking up from his calendar. “It is too far from London. I could take on no other patients — I would have to arrive before I was needed and waste weeks waiting for Mrs. Darcy’s delivery.”

“I would make your sacrifice worthwhile.”

The doctor paused, pencil still in hand, and studied Darcy appraisingly. “How worthwhile?”

“That depends upon how long you stay at Pemberley.”

“Hold a moment!” Elizabeth drew their attention toward herself for the first time in the entire conversation. “Dr. Severn, before we make any arrangements, might you be so good as to describe what I can anticipate when you attend me?”

He regarded her with annoyance. “Have you not a mother or sister with whom you can discuss the particulars of lying in?”

“What I mean to say is, all the women of my family have been brought to bed with a midwife and other women attending them. As a physician, do you assist births differently?”

“My medical training is far superior to that of any midwife,” he said tersely. “What midwife can boast a university education? Should the birth not proceed smoothly, has she the knowledge and instruments to save you or the child? The greatest families in England rely upon me to see their children into the world, but if you prefer the aid of an ignorant old woman—”

“I did not say that. I only wished to know the advantages of having a doctor present.”

“I have assisted hundreds of births, Mrs. Darcy. I am an expert in my profession. Moreover, I am a man of science, equipped to handle not only the common emergencies, but also the unforeseen. I can tell you tales that would chill your soul about extreme measures I have taken to save a mother or her child after having given up the other for lost.”

Which he then proceeded to do.

Apparently, a woman’s expectant state ranked second only to All Hallows’ Eve as inspiration for one and all to share horror stories. Elizabeth actually shuddered at one particularly disturbing example the doctor offered as evidence of his superiority. There would be no resisting Darcy’s preference for a physician now, and, in truth, she herself had begun to think that perhaps engaging a male accoucheur was the wiser course of action. She could not say, however, that she cared for Dr. Severn himself.

The physician glanced from her to Darcy impatiently. “What is your intent? Do you wish to engage me or not?”

As much as she resented Dr. Severn’s arrogance, she respected his knowledge. She met Darcy’s gaze and read in it his desire to proceed. For Darcy’s sake, she could tolerate him. Should the unthinkable occur, at least her husband would have the small consolation of knowing he had done everything in his power to prevent it.

She nodded her acquiescence.

Within ten minutes’ time, all was arranged. Mercifully, Dr. Severn shared Elizabeth’s belief that his coming to Pemberley immediately was entirely unnecessary — a view that somewhat mitigated her opinion of him. He consented to travel there if needed to respond to specific complaints, but otherwise he would arrive in February and stay until the birth. A monthly nurse — he could recommend several — would then oversee Elizabeth’s recovery for the remainder of her lying-in. The gentlemen negotiated payment, and Dr. Severn departed.

“The interview proceeded more smoothly than I anticipated,” Darcy remarked.

“You thought Dr. Severn would prove more difficult?”

“I was speaking of you.”

Before she could reply, a servant entered and handed Darcy a letter that had arrived while they were engaged with the doctor.

“It is from Mr. Harper,” Darcy said. “He writes that he will depart for France on the nineteenth, and assures me that he will conduct the business quietly” Darcy refolded the letter and set it aside. “So the matter of watching over my cousin is well in hand. If I know Mr. Harper, I will find an initial report waiting for me when we return to Pemberley.”

“Do you anticipate Mr. Harper will learn anything unpleasant?”

“After nearly losing his life, Roger swore that he would not so hazard himself again. It is my hope that he meant it. Nothing would please me more than for Mr. Harper’s journey to prove entirely unnecessary.”

“I suspect your aunt, on the other hand, would be disappointed by the news that he is not courting trouble. She seemed so eager for a crisis about which she could declare her disapproval.” She sighed. “Well, should Roger fail to provide, at least she has me to console her.”

Darcy looked at her oddly. “Given your history with Lady Catherine, you expect your company would comfort her?”

“Not my company, dear, my condition. Instead of working herself into a bother over the purity of the Fitzwilliam name, she can fret over what my involvement has done to the bloodline. With our child not due until March, the vexation will happily occupy her for months.”